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The Never
The Never '''is a magical realm of the supernatural, separate from the normal world, which they refer to as "The First World" or "The Material Plane". It is a world of contradictions, bright and yet dark, beautiful but deadly and full of both endless wonder and terror. It is beautiful, robust and sometimes tranquil. But ultimately the realm shares a side of darkness and savagery that embodies nature's feral side. Many stories, which we call "Fairy Tells", tell of this strange place and its inhabitants, known collectively as the Fae. Mankind is believed to have had interactions with the Fae and the Never for centuries. Mortals would occasionally find themselves transported into the Never or are approached by a Fae in the Material Plane with an unorthodox solution to a problem (one that always cost the mortal something). The Never was first discovered by the Guardians with the arrival of '''The Fairest in 2011, and the Queen of Hearts tried to launch a siege of our world from the Never in 2014. There has never been an official acknowledgement of the existence of The Never by the government or the PRA, but most accept that it's there. Those who don't write off as Paragons with strange physical mutations. The Never is the second-closest realm to the Material Plane in The Weave. Description The Never is a neighboring world with high magical density. Magicians and magical scholars in the Material Plane note that the plane itself is seemingly infinite and pseudo-intelligent. One can communicate with and even bargain with the Never. It exists alongside our own as a sort of alternate dimension and each known world of the Multiverse seems to have access to similar dimensions. Its shape is not the same as that of the Material Plane; The Never is vast, much larger than our own and changes it features and topography enough that no accurate map could ever be created. Travel between our world and the Never is extremely difficult, especially to realms further than Avalon (see below). Likewise, just because one method allowed access to the Never once doesn't mean that it'll work a second time. Additionally, portals to various places around the Never can open spontaneously for an indeterminate amount of time before closing forever. It is noted that it's easier to get into the Never than it is to get out of it again. The Never touches the Material Plane in places where they have something in common; a resonance of energies. If a point in the Never is a dark and spooky place, then it touches a dark and spooky place in the Material plane. But, maybe five feet over it's only sad and that leads to a place in a cemetery on the other side of the country. Time Time passes differently between the Material Plane and the Never (or at least, it can). A day in the Never can equal anything from minutes to years of time on the Material Plane. This makes it possible to return to the Material plane years after they left it, even if only a day or so passed within it. This is not guaranteed every time one enters the Never, but it is a possibility they must consider. There are methods--spells, magical artifacts, etc--that can reduce the chance of this occurring by tying the traveler to a specific moment in time when they return, but even then--just like everything else in the Never--nothing is set in stone. Memory Loss Due to the pervasive nature of the Never, non-fae creatures who leave the Never are subject to a sort of memory loss, making their memories of that place fuzzy, vague and nonspecific--if any memories remain at all. This is not a hard and fast effect, but it does seem to be a common side effect of time spent in the Never. For example, when Outback led the escaped heroes back to the Material Plane from the Queen of Hearts' dungeons, none of them could quite remember exactly what had happened, while Vibro-Man '''had almost no memories of the Never at all. '''Lady Red, being at least part-Fae, had perfect recollection of the dungeons and was able to relay everything they had learned to the Guardians. Music Music has a profound resonance with the multiverse. There are those who say that reality itself is a sort of song comprehensible only to the gods, as every world itself is distinguished from the others by its resonance or vibrations. Magic is certainly prevalent within the Never, there is a synergy with music and magic within this realm. Music has a purposeful application as well as a recreational one, acting as a medium for connecting the spirit with nature. There are many fae who play instruments or sing, some even dance to showcase their expression of their true essence and natures. Musicians are often regarded well by the fae wit, even those with better than average oratory skills are often hailed as remarkable by passing fae. Many fae appreciate beauty and music is another personification of that idea. Striking up a bargain for exchange of a music favor is a seldom but appreciated choice. Especially if the bargainer is exceptionally gifted as a musician or performer, but not too good to draw the ire of a passing Fable 'that may perhaps whisk them away to keep them until they bore of them. Geography The Never is just as varied as our own world, if not more so. They are somewhat distinct realms, though there is no definite "geography". Their location is vague at best to mortal understandings, but the following are the realms of the Never that have been discovered by mortals. The Ways The walks in the Never are very rarely only five feet away, and a person might get confronted by horrible creatures. The Never is a scary place and it is wise to do a lot of planning and have back-up when exploring. However, knowing the Ways--or the safe paths--can get a person to a far away location quick and easy with a minimum of bestial interference. Most mortals do not know the Ways--indeed, most ''cannot know the Ways, not really. There are a number of artifacts or spells one can utilize to navigate the Ways. However, traveling through the Never is rarely advised unless you are thoroughly prepared. Avalon The parts of the Never closest to the Material Plane, it is home to the Sidhe, or Faeries, and has very close ties to nature. Being parallel to our world, its geography is similar but not identical to the Material Plane. Similarly to the geography, many of the creatures here are sort of "echoes" of what exists in the world. For example, where a volcano stands in the Material, a mountain topped with skyscraper-sized crystals that glow with internal fires to towers over the terrain. Arcane magic is more free here and more powerful than it is in the Material. This is the main reason why even the lowliest squirrels possess magic of some sort. While its geography is not static, it is the least mutable of the discovered realms. That is to say, you are likely to find the world to be largely similar throughout multiple excursions carried out over time. This does not make it any less dangerous. Avalon has a varied population; along with the Sidhe, one can find nymphs, satyrs and the otherworldly eladrin. Some of the more openly malevolent creatures who dwell in Avalon are goblins, giants, ogres and hags. This isn't to say that the others are any less dangerous, just more open to bargaining. There are two dominant factions who control Avalon--the Summer Court and the Winter Court, whose respective holdings are known as the Brightlands and the Darklands. These Courts are notorious blood enemies who very rarely reach accord on any matter, no matter how large or small. Regardless of what ways Avalon changes itself, the two holdings are separated by the Moon River. There is an island in the middle of the river, known as Moon Island, that is home to the Circle--a large, stone megalith reminiscent of Stonehenge that stands as a sort of DMZ between the Summer and Winter Court. Important Fae can meet here and discuss important matters. No one, not even the Summer or Winter Knight (see below) can draw blood here and any oath sworn on the Circle Stone (a large stone covered in eldritch, fae runes) cannot be broken. The Faerie Courts - the Eternal Flux of Nature Avalon is ruled by the Summer Court (also called the Bright Court) and Winter Court (also called the Gloaming Court), though there are also tales of a prophesied '''Spring Child and whispers of a feared Autumn King. Fae sworn to the Summer Court are known as Seelie and those sworn to the Winter Court are called Unseelie. The differences are not simply ideological (see Types of Fae, below). The change between warmth and light to cold and darkness is one that is both natural and supernatural; an ebb and flow of nature that translates to the passing of seasons. The transfer of power is a ritual known as The Ascendance, where a rob topped with a multi-colored gem is given from one Queen to the other. During the time of the Court's rule, their land and the faeries sworn to their respective Court are more powerful. In other times, when the opposing Court rules, their land tend to become less colorful, the music becomes more haunting and their inhabitants find it difficult to conjure more powerful magic. The Brightlands The Brightlands are the lands ruled by the Summer Court. They are a verdant, shining land of mesmerizing meadows and almost eternal sunshine. Warmth and growth are prevalent throughout the Brightlands. They gain power during the Spring and are strongest during the summer. Seelie fae are considered to be beautiful and cheerful. They tend to be more concerned with playing tricks, having fun and experiencing pleasure. They are renowned as artists and poets. Animals associated with the Brightlands tend to be deer, songbirds and bears. The Champion of the Summer Court is the Summer Knight, who is able to wield exceptional magic power, most notably fire and healing magic. They also wield "Dawnbringer", an enchanted faerie sword forged for the Knight by the Summer Queen herself. Queen Titania rules over the Brightlands. The Darklands The holdings of the Winter Court, they are a land of beautiful violence. It is structured and more ordered than the Brightlands. Despite its stark, cold beauty it is a bleak, sad place. The trees are always bare and the ground always cold. The beings here are tough, focusing on the need to fight and to live, even when there is no shelter, warmth, hope or even any help. The Unseelie are considered violent yet seductive. They possess a killer instinct and tend to be deceitful, aggressive and self-serving. Blood is a major component of many Winter Court magic rituals. They are renowned warriors and spies. Queen Mab rules over the Darklands. Sildëyuir A seclusive realm that resembles a forested, mountainous region with many dells, deep canyons and swift-running fjords. Located here is to the monastery Myth Drannor, which is home to a sect of magician-monks known as the Yuir (WEER). Their chanting song can be heard from almost any place in Sildëyuir. It's a relatively quiet place. There are few animals, such as white owls, silver-grey deer, black squirrels, large purple-furred bears and foot-long emerald and sapphire dragonflies. The Yuir, masters and protectors of the realm, live in their beautiful, elegant monastery where they study ways to defeat an ancient evil whose name they dare not utter. They are a peaceful people and their realm is a closely-guarded secret. Its forests are more dense than those found in Avalon, with skyscraper-tall trees with silver trunks. The same source-less illumination lights the horizon no matter what direction one looks. The horizon is a soft, pearl-grey color but near the sky's zenith, however, the skies are the purple velvet of true night and are filled with preternaturally brilliant stars. During the "night", the sky darkens into pure blackness. Time is slower in Sildëyuir; two days on the Material Plane is one day in Sildëyuir. Lost Grotto A small island surrounded by rocky cliffs and difficult oceans. The island is isolated in time; despite the fact that there is both day and night, time doesn't actually progress as if it were stuck in the loop of a single day. The island is home to merfolk-like entities and talking animals, among others and is ruled by a malevolent fae who appears to be a never-aging boy named Petyr and his pixie companion he refers to as Tinka. He is known to kidnap children and bring them to the Grotto, adding them to his gang, which he calls "The Lost". Petyr is known to be erratic and cruel. OZ A strange realm where magic is both stronger than the magic in Avalon and also highly regulated. The lands are treacherous and can only be navigated by traveling upon a road made up of enchanted gold bricks, which softly hum and glow in the dark. It is a realm engulfed in a war between several powerful Hags, each of which has claimed small territories within OZ. These hags are all considered to be wicked in their way, though some--such as the most powerful of the four, who dwells in the West--is considered the most wicked. The only safe haven in the storm is an Emerald City ruled by an overbearing Fable who calls himself Ozymandius. OZ is populated mostly by strange, sugar-loving fae known as Munchkins, though many constructs, talking animals and stranger can be found. Wonderland Wonderland is the strangest and most alien of the discovered realms to exist in the Never. It's a realm of backward logic, whose rules and geography are constantly changing. The rules of reality have little meaning here, when they mean anything at all. It's the very definition of unpredictable. A young girl named Alice Liddle '''once found her way in and has been living here as a nomadic sort of warrior-witch who has long gone mad ever since. Wonderland is made up mostly of unique fae and talking animals, and several Fables call Wonderland home. The magic in Wonderland is the strongest anywhere, almost too strong for most mortal sorcerers. The Queen of Hearts, who once tried to launch an invasion of the Material Plane, dwells in Wonderland. The Fae The Fae are magical beings who reside within the Never. They are a very heterogeneous group, as there are many different kinds of Fae. Some of them are humanoid in form, some like animals and others like various monsters. It is dangerous to ask any Fae a question without direct answers. As a rule, they are mischievous and very dangerous, but always good to their word. Many Fae cannot speak an outright lie, but many are adept at word plays or the twisting of meaning and literal speech. They will often try to entrap mortals with bargains and deals. They offer things to get the mortal to trade. It's built into their nature. This works both ways; if a mortal offers something, they'll have a conduit to use magic against them. They find anything other than an equal exchange exciting or insulting. The basic rule: don't accept anything from them and don't offer them anything. Oaths put mutual obligation on both parties, such as an oath of fealty to the Faerie Queen puts an obligation on the Queen to carry out the obligations of one who is sworn to her, even if not able to easily for whatever reason, even death. Fae have a terrible weakness to iron; just touching it burns their skin. They also have a love of cream. Fables A Fable is an immensely powerful faerie, also known as an Arch Fae, that possess near-godlike powers. Such fae are often unique, as there are only one of them. Many Fables possess different rules, weaknesses and powers compared to more common varieties of Fae. Some notable Fables include: * '''The Big Bad Wolf * Grimalkin, aka, the Cheshire Cat * Mad Hatter * Ozymandias * Petyr of the Lost * The Queen of Hearts * Rumpelstiltskin Types of Fae * Eladrin: '''Mysterious, enigmatic beings who wield powerful magic and are said to continually reincarnate. * '''Elemental: '''An elemental hails from one of the yet-undiscovered Elemental Planes. They are humanoid individuals who are infused to their very being with an elemental power. This is often reflected in their skin, hair, eyes, temperaments, et cetera. Elementals can exist in more than just the standard four classical elements. Storm elementals, sand elementals, Mirror elementals and more exist. The Tin Man, of OZ lore, is one such elemental. * '''Elf: '''An elf is a half-human/half-sidhe. They look more or less human and far less otherworldly than their faerie parent, though there is always a telltale trait, such as pointed ears, unusual eyes or hair, bug-like wings, etc. Elves retain their fae weaknesses to iron but less severe, as touching it does not burn them. They have some fae powers, but not all of them; most of the time, they have a selection of one or two powers, or an aspect of power, inherited from their parent. * '''Construct: A construct is a sentient, animated thing that was built. Scarecrows from OZ, for example, are just one example of the wide variety of constructs one might find in the Never. * Goblin: '''Small, rabid, fanged creatures who will eat literally anything. Their intellect is barely above animal levels. They have the ability to cloud the minds of those they hunt and use minor illusions to trick them. * '''Hag: '''Gnarled, wicked creatures who appear to be grotesque old woman. They often live isolated, in cabins and use their illusions to lure children to their lairs to eat. Hags are known to be evil, vicious and territorial. They are considered to be among the most dangerous denizens of the Never. * '''Munchkin: Munchkins are short, squat, flat-faced humanoids native to OZ. They have a fierce love of sugar. They are not particular strong, but they are hardy and are often used as an almost tireless workforce by the Hags there. They can see invisible things. ' ' * Nixie: '''A Nixie is a pixie (see below) that is native to aquatic environments; they tend to live on lillypads and mate under the water. They're known to bite. * '''Nymph: '''A nymph is a green-skinned fae who are similar to the Sidhe in most respects. Their primary difference, aside from being a little shorter, is that they are more closely tied to nature. They wield powerful nature magic and do not serve the Summer or Winter Queen; they serve the May Queen, or the Lady of the Green. They tend to be rather chaotic and manic. * '''Ogre: '''Large, sharp-toothed giants who lurk in the space between realms. Many can be found in the Darklands. They are ugly, predatory brutes who sadistically enjoying violence and torture. They have a special fondness for human flesh. * '''Pixie: '''Tiny, winged faeries with magic they often use to make mischief. Many are only four to seven inches tall and most glow when in flight. Their wings generate a special substance called "Pixie Dust" which, when ingested allows the user to fly and perceive the supernatural. * '''Talking Animal: Many animals in the Never are capable of human intelligence and even speech. * Satyr: '''These human/goat hybrids can be found throughout the Never, though most hail from Avalon. They use music to weave their magic and tend to be very gluttonous. Satyrs are aggressive but will quickly back down from a fight if their opponent is clearly stronger. Many have an unhealthy attraction to human women. * '''Sidhe: The most common type of faerie, who hail from Avalon. They are all humanoid, but more slender and more beautiful on average than humans. Most have large, almond-shaped eyes and wings that look like either butterfly wings or dragonfly wings. The Seelie sidhe tend to have fair, pale skin, though a light pink, yellow or teal is not unheard of. Unseelie tend to have skin ranging from light purple to grey or even dark blue. * Wildlings: These fae appear to be human/animal hybrids. * '''Yuir: '''The peaceful warrior-monks of Sildëyuir. They appear to be almost entirely human, except for their light gray skin.